Double-tube dispensing container



Jan. 19, 1965 H. NIELSEN DOUBLE-TUBE DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed April 24, 1962 United States Patent Dispensing tubes of pliable material, the compressible hollow body of which is divided in two separate tube compartments by means of a partition, are known, said tubes having at oneend thereof a nozzle integrally cast with the container material and provided with two closely juxaposed canals each connected with one or" the tube g compartments.

When the compartments contain different semiiluid materials it is possible to expell a quantity of both by squeezing both compartments simultaneously; thereby the substances from both containers are brought into contact with each other immediately outside the nozzle of the tube.

Such double tube dispensing containers, however, cannot be used in cases Where it is important that the quantities discharged from each tube compartment are equal, or that the materials are discharged in some other predetermined ratio.

The present invention relates to a double tube dispenser of the above-mentioned type in which the said disadvantage has been remedied, and which consists of a rigid tube member and ahousing member, the tube member consisting of two juxtaposed cylindrictubes' of substantially equal wallthickness united along'a common generatrix, said tubes being open at one end andclosed at the opposite end by a wall integral with a substantially cylindric nozzle portion, the axis of which is central between the axes of the two tubes, said nozzle portion having channels leading to the interior part of each tube, and the housing member comprising two part-cylindric walls united to form a tubular body, and a base plate closing said tubular body at one end and carrying two shafts protruding in coaxial'position into the tubes and carrying at their ends pistons fitting therein.

By giving the tube body the shape of two completely or almost completely cylindrical tubes which atmost are connected at a narrow joint surface alonga generatrix of each, it is possible to manufacture the tube body from plastic without the risk that thebody deforms unduly during the hardening of the plastic or during the cooling after the hardening; consequently the cylinder surfaces of the tube body are able to slide close to the cylinder surfaces of the housing member. T his latter may also be of plastic, and still have no tendency to di'stort'during the hardening and the subsequent cooling, as the walls of the said tube case have practically equal thickness throughout. Owing to the elasticity of the wall portions uniting the two part-cylindric wallsof the housing member it attains sufiicient resiliency to fit the tubemember without any unduepressure, at the same timebeing exactly to measure .withthe tube body. By providing the tubes of the-tube memberadjacent their'open ends with a connection portion extending only a short distance from the open end and the housing with an intrudinglportion which likewise has only a slight extension in axial direction, it is prevented that the tub'e'member be pulled out of the housing unintentionally.

If desired, the tube compartments may be filled, the dispensing container has been assembled, the filling being made through cannulae to the channels of the dispensing nozzle. After the filling the dispensing container will be in its expanded position with the connection portion EJ652231 Fatented Jan. 19, 1965 ice of the tube member engaging the intruding portion of the housing member, and with the pistons being at open ends of the tubes of the tube'rnember. When the tube member is pushed slowly down into the housing member a quantity of the contents of thetubes of the tube membercorresponding to the quantity filled into the tubes will be pressed out in the shape of two closely juxtaposed bands. It will then be easy to mix the two kinds of material in no time on thesiteof" application, and'the accurate guiding of the tube member in the housing member will ensure that the two substances are squeezed out in a predetermined ratio, e.g. in equal quantities. If, for instance, a neutralization is aimed at by mixing, it is possible by this means to prevent that anundue excess of the one component or the other is dispensed.

A convenient method for assembling the dispensing container enabling the. two tube compartments to be filled through the open ends of the tubes of the tube member mayaccording to the present invention consist in the dispensing nozzle having notches on a level with surfaces which continue the cylinder surface of the housing member facing each other; the bottom of the housing member may consequently be one separate piece which is not mounted on the cylindrical part of the housing member until the tubes ofthe tube member have been filled, and the said member drawn out with'its connection portion engaging the intruding portion at the other end of the housing member. In connection with the mounting of the said bottom the pistons, too, are mounted in the tubes of the tube body.

Even if the accurate'shaping of the tube member and the resilience and exact fit of the housing member rendered possible by the present invention-will minimize the tendency of the tube member during the squeezing it is, however, desirable in many cases, particularly if the contents of the tube cylinder consists of comparatively expensive preparations, such as pharmaceutical products or of pharmaceutical products of which an overdosing must be avoided on account of their powerful effect, that the tube member be capable of sliding inside the housing member with a constant but slight friction even if the dispensing container has not been used for some time or has been exposed to moisture or temperature changes which will hazardisethe operational properties of the dispenser. According, to an embodimentof the'present invention the tube member and the housing may therefore be manufactured from two different plastics, chosen with a view to causing a minimum of friction. According to the present invention it is particularly convenient if the tube member'is manufactured from low pressure polyethylene, and the housing member from impact proof polystyrene.

In the following the present invention'will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing which depicts by way'of an example, which should not be considered limitative, one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG; 1 shows the dispensing container without a covering cap, in perspective, in its extended position;

FIG. 2 shows the tube member in side elevation;

FIG. 3 shows the tube member seen from above;

FIG. 4 shows a section of the tubemember on the line FIG. 5 shows a section of the tube member on the line V-V of FIG. 2;

- FIG. 6 shows the housing member in a sectional view through the longest symmetry plane;

FIG. 7 shows a section of the housing member on the line VII--V1I of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a section of the housing member on the line VIIIV1II of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9, in side elevation and part section, shows the separate bottom with pistons for the tubes, and

FIG. 10 shows the bottom seen from above in a horizontal sectional view through the piston rods.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a tube member, and 2 a housing member. Externally, the tube member (FIGS. 2-5) is shaped as two juxtaposed tubes 3 and 4, the axes of which are parallel, and which in the embodiment shown 'are mutually connected at a narrow strip 5 along a common generatrix. The said tubes are provided with cylindrical tube compartments 6 and 7 which are open at the bottom but at the top are closed by a plane wall 8 which carries a cylindrical dispensing nozzle 9, common toboth tubes, with a thread 10 for the screwing on of a tube cap, not shown in the figure. The dispensing nozzle 9 is provided with channels 11 which leads each to its own of the two tube compartments 6 and 7.

At the bottom the tube member is on either side provided with a connection portion 14 which partly fills the space between those sections of the cylindrical external walls of the tubes 3 and 4 which face each other but is of slight extension in the axial direction.

The housing member 2 is made of a material which is substantially of the same thickness throughout the length of the housing member, as shown in FIG. 8, and consists of two part cylinder surfaces 12 and 13 which are mutually connected with more or less plane partitions 15 parallel with the symmetry plane 16 of the tube case, and at such a distance from the said symmetry plane that the connection portion 14 of the tube member may pass freely within the said partitions. At the top the housing member is provided with internal intruding portions 17 which fit into the angle between the tubes of the body member.

The dispensing nozzle is provided with notches 18 cut at opposite angles into the surface of the said nozzle which notches form a continuation of the cylinder surfaces of the tubes facing each other, and through which the intruding portions 17 may pass when the tube member is inserted into the housing member from the bottom of the latter, and is pushed so much forward that the dispensing nozzle will project from the uppermost edge of the housing member.

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict a bottom 19 with piston rods 20 and pistons 21. After the tube member 1 in the said manner has been inserted into the housing member 2, and the tube compartments have been filled the bottom is mounted, the pistons 21 being let into the tube compartments, and the tube member pushed forward to its extended position as shown in FIG. 1. By this, a groove 22. on the top side of the bottom 19 will fit round the lower edge of the housing member. If desired, the bottom may be secured to the said housing member by means of a suitable adhesive applied to the groove 22.

I claim:

1. Double-tube dispensing container consisting of a rigid tube member and a housing member, the tube member consisting of two juxtaposed cylindric tubes having parallel axes, the distance between the axes being greater than the sum of the radii of the said tubes, said tubes being open at one end and closed at the opposite end by a wall integral with a substantially cylindric nozzle portion, the axis of which is central between the axes of the two tubes, said nozzle portion having channels leading into the interior part of each tube, and the housing member comprising two part-cylindric walls united to form a tubular body and a base plate closing said tubular body at said one end and carrying two shafts protruding in coaxial position into the tubes and carrying at their ends pistons fitting therein.

2. Double-tube dispensing container according to claim 1 in which the tube member and housing member are of different synthetic materials so chosen as to give minimum friction.

3. Double-tube dispensing container according to claim 2 in which the tube body is of low-pressure polyethylene and the housing member is of impact-resisting polystyrene.

4. Double-tube dispensing container consisting of a rigid internal tube member and a housing member the tube member consisting of two closely juxtaposed cylindric tubes of substantially equal wall thickness having parallel axes, the distance between the axes being greater than the sum of the radii of the said tubes, said tubes being open at one end and closed at the opposite end by a wall integral with a substantially cylindric nozzle portion, the axis of which is central between the axes of the two tubes, said nozzle portion having channels leading into the interior part of each tube, and the housing member comprising two part-cylindric walls united to form a tubular body and a base plate closing said tubular body at one end and carrying two shafts protruding in coaxial position into the tubes, each tube carrying at its end a piston fitting into a tube, each tube having adjacent to its open end a connection portion, extending only a short distance from the end, and the housing having at its open end an intruding portion, which likewise has only a slight extension in axial direction, the former fitting the part of the housing uniting the part-cylindric wall and the V latter fitting the cylindric surfaces of the tubes of the tube member, facing each other.

- 5. Double-tube dispension container according to claim 4 in which the tubes of the tube member are united along a common generatrix.

6. Double-tube dispensing container consisting of a rigid internal tube member and a housing member, the tube member consisting of two closely juxtaposed cylindric tubes having parallel axes, spaced apart a distance greaterthan the sum of the radii of the said tubes, said tubes being open at one end and closed at the opposite end by a wall integral with a substantially cylindric nozzle portion, the axis of whichis substantially midway between the axes of the two tubes, said nozzle portion having a channel leading into the interior of each tube, the housing member comprising two part-cylindric walls united to form a tubular body and a base plate closing said tubular body at one end and having two shafts in parallel position one each protruding into a tube, each shaft carrying at its end a piston frictionally engaging its tube and fitting for direct longitudinal movement therein only, each tube having adjacent to its open end a connection portion extending only a short distance from the end, the housing having at its open end an intruding portion, which likewise has only a slight extensionin axial direction, the former fitting the part of the housing uniting the part-cylindric wall and the latter fitting the cylindric surfaces of the tubes of the tube member, facing each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,871 12/53 Huenergardt 222129 2,826,339 3/58 Maillard 222-137 3,028,052 4/62 Archer 222-136 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. DOUBLE-TUBE DISPENSING CONTAINER CONSISTING OF A RIGID TUBE MEMBER AND A HOUSING MEMBER, THE TUBE MEMBER CONSISTING OF TWO JUXTAPOSED CYLINDRIC TUBES HAVING PARALLEL AXES, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE AXES BEING GREATER THAN THE SUN OF THE RADII OF THE SAID TUBES, SAID TUBES BEING OPEN AT ONE END AND CLOSED AT THE OPPOSITE END BY A WALL INTEGRAL WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRIC NOZZLE PORTION, THE AXIS OF WHICH IS CENTRAL BETWEEN THE AXES OF THE TWO TUBES, SAID NOZZLE PORTION HAVING CHANNELS LEADING INTO THE INTERIOR PART OF EACH TUBE, AND THE HOUSING MEMBER COMPRISING TWO PART-CYLINDRIC WALLS UNITED TO FROM A TUBULAR BODY AND A BASE PLATE CLOSING SAID TUBULAR BODY AT SAID ONE END AND CARRYING TWO SHAFTS PROTRUDING IN COAXIAL POSITION INTO THE TUBES AND CARRYING AT THEIR ENDS PISTONS FITTING THEREIN. 